Inquisition
by Master of The Blood Wolves
Summary: An Inquisitor and his retinue venture onto a Death World cut off from the galaxy by order of the Emperor for ten thousand years in pursuit of a heretic cult. Prepared for the worst, they find the one thing they least expected: Semi-peaceful xenos: Pokemon. On Hiatus. Even if it updates.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter I

Insertion

**Disclaimer: I don't own 40k or Pokemon.**

**Author's note: No one has ever really done a good crossover of this.  
>The only complete one is about a pack of 40k's version of Sues\Stus.<br>Plus, they were looking in entirely the wrong place for a faction that would've worked.  
>Hence, the Inquisition is going to have a gander at this world, forbidden to all by the Emperor himself, at the start of the Great Crusade…<br>So, give it a try before you condemn it.**

'If it hadn't been for that sensor contact that has popping up randomly for the past three years, which you insist is a rogue trader, your ship would be a wreck right now Inquisitor; this system is under stringent quarantine, and even the Xenos and heretics avoid this place, and through nothing to do with us either.' Said Captain Oberin Typhon, an Astartes of the Vigilants chapter, who's responsibility since before the Heresy was the quarantine of the system.

Typhon himself was apparently descended from the gene-stock of the Death Guard, though like all the Astartes on the Guardian-pattern space stations that surrounded the system, they'd remained loyal throughout the Heresy to their duty to keeping the system from being accessed, and was the one place in the galaxy loyalist Death Guard, Emperor's Children, Luna Wolves, Iron Warriors and Alpha Legion could still be found.

'I realise that Captain, but the fact this rogue trader has been getting through your blockade so long doesn't bode well, and from my previous experiences with the artefacts and the like that the cults I've been persecuting, along with documentation all points to things coming from _this_ system, and there's word that Hive Fleet Leviathan is heading this way as well.' Replied Inquisitor Rogal Flanagan patiently, running his fingers through his black hair.

Typhon let out a bark of laughter at this.

'Those bugs can try for the Death-World in this system if they want; the inhabitants cost the Emperor _two_ of his sons, and when the Emperor ordered exterminatus, some of the damn things proved to be as much of a danger to the ships engaging in the business as ground-to-orbit defence batteries and a helluva lot more manoeuvrable to boot, I honestly believe that if these 'tyranids' came here, they'd end up wiped out.' He said.  
>Rogal paused.<p>

'The inhabitants of the planet you're quarantining are _that_ powerful?'  
>Typhon shrugged.<br>'I've never been down there to enquire, only that mad bastard Brø m Blackpelt has ever been down there, and he's mum on what he encountered before we picked him up off the top of a mountain; riskiest frakking operation we ever did.' He replied.  
>Rogal nodded.<br>'I want him on my retinue Captain.' He said.  
>'You aren't <em>seriously<em> thinking of going down there are you?' Typhon said in astonishment.  
>Rogal looked up at the eight-foot giant in his black power-plate.<br>'No choice captain; I've lost several good men already on this hunt, for their sakes I'm seeing this business through.' With that, Rogal walked off, his great coat swishing behind him, and his combat boots clicking softly against the plas-steel floor.

* * *

><p>Rogal looked around the hold of the Valkyrie transporter they were taking to the surface and caught the golden eyes of the wolf scout, Brøm Blackpelt.<br>'Something bothering you Inquisitor?' Asked the Astartes.  
>Rogal didn't react immediately.<br>'If this place is so dangerous, why're we going down in civilian garb, with nothing but training rounds in our weapons?' He asked, gesturing to his drastically altered attire.  
>His combat boots and great coat were still present, but his usual carapace plate and power-sword were absent, along with his bolt pistol.<br>Instead he had a Hecutor-10 in a concealed holster in the lining of his coat and a power-knife concealed across his back.

'We went over this Inquisitor,' replied Brø m tersely, 'the indigenous population of humans live in harmony with the Xenos native to this world; the Xenos on this world are fiercely hostile to anything they perceive as threatening; I dumped my equipment after my third encounter with the same walking tree, and after that all I got were odd looks for being eight foot tall and wary looks from the Xenos.' He explained. 'Hence, civilian garb, training rounds,- for self-defence _only,_ and live ammo for when we track these heretics to ground; If my weapons cache is still intact we might be able to salvage something from there, but for now let's just focus on trying to get to the surface without being blown out the sky by something that doesn't like the look of us.'  
>'And what're the odds of that?' Asked Heldane Gaul, a bounty hunter who'd been with Rogal for nearly twenty years.<br>'Pretty good if one in particular happens to be up in the stratosphere, but if we can drop quickly, we shouldn't have any trouble.' Brøm replied grimly.  
>Heldane shot a long-suffering look at the blood-hawk that sat patiently on his shoulder, which it returned with an equally long-suffering look in it's semi-sentient gaze.<p>

'Great, first the 'stealers on Regis Prime, now super-powered Xenos that no-one really knows shit about.' This was Epithet Nadia, Rogal's interrogator, and a pessimistic drama queen, along with a Gamma-level psyker.  
>'Shut it Epithet.' This last drew a suspicious look from Brøm.<br>He was a tall, lanky individual, with gaunt features and shabby clothes, as well as a slightly bored appearance.  
>'Mordekai, can't you please assume an appearance that doesn't make you look like no-one looks out for you?' Asked Rogal tiredly.<br>The gaunt man looked sideways at Rogal, then all features faded, until he was an indistinct, opaque figure, almost as if he wasn't there, revealed to be a dissembler.

+Alright ladies and gents, grab your grav-chutes and get ready to drop.+ Came the pilot's voice over the intercom.  
>Rogal stood as his restraining harness snapped open, and pulled on a rebreather, along with the other non-augmented members of his retinue.<br>Then, one after the other, following Brø m's lead, they jumped out the back of the Valkyrie, which promptly went vertical and hit the afterburners, eager to get away from the planet.

Rogal relaxed as he felt the wind whipping through his hair, and as they got closer to the ground.  
>+Mark!+ Called Brøm, and they all activated their grav-chutes, the suspensor lifts powering up after a second and projecting anti-gravity to slow their wearers' descent.<br>The five of them hit the ground boots first, and deactivated their grav-chutes.  
>The four who hadn't visited that particular planet before looked around with interest.<p>

'The way you made this place out to be marine, I was expecting perfectly-evolved alien killing machines to be on us the moment we set down.' Commented Mordekai, invisible in the dark of the night.  
>Brøm chuckled nastily.<br>'Not quite, but they're dangerous in their own ways, and remember: on this planet looks are almost _always _misleading; unless the thing you're looking at happens to resemble the love-child of a saurid and a Carnifex, in which case it is exactly as it looks and it's advisable to run the frak away.' He replied.

A peculiar sounding _crark_, made the group spin towards the noise, and Brø m to level his training-round loaded bolt pistol at the source of the noise.  
>What appeared to be a blue-black bird, with a wing span as wide as an eagle's and an incongruously sized beak gazed at them imperiously.<br>'Gaul?' Said Rogal tightly.  
>'Corvus? Against something from this place?' Asked the bounty hunter in askance, stroking the blood-hawk for reassurance. 'No way Rogal.' He said.<br>Brøm holstered his pistol again.  
>'False alarm; these ones generally prefer to keep to themselves, don't piss it off and we shouldn't have any trouble.' He said, then after consulting an auspex, motioned for the group to follow him, as they set off into the forest from the clearing they'd fallen into.<p>

The black bird looked them over with intelligent eyes, before with another peculiar cry, it flitted from the branch it'd been resting on, and landed on Rogal's shoulder.  
>The inquisitor went deathly still.<br>_Crark_. The bird cried, before peering curiously at the inquisitor, who looked the xenos-bird in it's eyes unflinchingly.

'Brøm…?' Mouthed Rogal noiselessly.  
>The wolf scout gave the inquisitor a peculiar look.<br>'I think you've made a friend inquisitor.' Commented the grizzled marine.

Rogal pulled out his Hecutor-10 and disabled the safety.  
>A few moments later, a creature resembling a small horse with a mane and tail of fire ambled out of the woods.<br>Rogal felt chills go through him as he saw it; surely such a creature was dangerous?

He glanced to the tree behind which Brøm was hiding behind.  
>The wolf scout shook his head, and motioned for Rogal to put his gun away.<p>

'Ponyta!' At the sound of the voice, Rogal whipped back around, and saw a boy, scarcely older than seventeen, come out of the woods from the same direction the fire-horse had.  
>'Why'd you wander off? You know you shouldn't do that.' Admonished the young man, who Rogal was finding it hard to distinguish in the dark, due to his dark-coloured clothing.<p>

To Rogal's astonishment, the horse seemed to look abashed.

The boy's stance softened.  
>'Come on, let's get back to the camp before Bagon starts eyeing your dinner.' He said.<br>At the mention of food, the black bird, still perching on Rogal's shoulder let loose an eager squawk.  
>The boy whipped around, an excited look on his face, before fumbling at his belt for what appeared at first glance to be an auspex device.<br>+Murkrow. The Darkness Pokémon. It is said that when chased, it lures it attacker onto dark mountain trails where the foe will get lost.+ A mechanical-sounding female voice recited.

Obviously galvanised on a course of action, the boy strode smartly over, and wrenched the bush Rogal was hiding in aside, and found himself staring down the barrel of Rogal's gun.  
>'Hecutor-10.' Said Rogal conversationally. 'Solid-shot hand-cannon. Most powerful side-arm legally possessible to civilians under Imperial law.' He added. 'You probably don't want to know what sort of mess one of its rounds can make.'<p>

**I have no sense of self-control when it comes to ideas for stories.**

**They either get filed away to ferment for ages,-like this one has,- or they get written down nearly instantly like _Guardsman_ did.**

**This was posted at the request of Hideout Writer, and will not, repeat: will NOT be seeing regular updates.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II

First Contact

**Disclaimer: See Chapter One**

Sirin took an unconscious step back after the stranger in the black longcoat finished his little speech, and after mentally reviewing possible responses, Sirin chose the most rational one to his mind.  
>'Um…pardon?' He asked in confusion, then noticed the Murkrow he'd heard was perched on the stranger's shoulder. 'Oh, sorry I thought that Murkrow was wild, I didn't know she was yours.' Sirin said apologetically.<br>The stranger didn't lower his weapon, but in the moonlight Sirin could see a deep frown marring his severe features.

'Who are you?' He asked in an even voice.  
>Dimly Sirin was aware that Ponyta was pawing the ground nervously.<br>'I'm Sirin, why, you want to battle or something?' Asked Sirin, wishing he hadn't left his team back at the small camp he'd made further back along the trail.  
>He had a sense of alarm, then that faded, and distantly he could hear the urgent cries of his Kirlia calling the rest of his team to order. Evidently Kirlia thought he was in trouble.<p>

'Rogal,' said a guttural growl of a voice, 'that doesn't sound all that reassuring, I suggest we get as far away from here as we can before whatever is making that noise shows up.' There was a clear note of warning in the voice, and for the life of him Sirin couldn't figure out what sort of being,-pokémon, human or otherwise,- could possibly have such a deep and rough voice.  
>The man in the longcoat flicked a glance to his left, at a thick tree, before his deep brown eyes locked on Sirin immediately afterward.<br>'I haven't the slightest clue what you're talking about; you can provide me with some answers in a short while, but for now, we _move._' the stranger, Rogal said.  
>Sirin frowned.<br>'Why?' He asked in confusion, 'and just who are you? And since when did I take orders from you anyway?' Sirin demanded.  
>'He's got a point there.' Said another voice, this one a woman's voice and coming from the left.<br>'Since we haven't got the time or option of staying here, and since Brøm suggested we move, and we _need_ information.' Rogal shot back.

The frantic beat of huge wings interrupted what was becoming a heated argument, and Sirin saw Braviary swoop into the clearing, looking around in alarm, with Kirlia perched almost comically on his back, and Bagon in his talons, and moments later, Druddigon and Haxorus came charging into the clearing, looking around in alarm.  
>Sirin saw Rogal go pale in fear.<br>Then, Kirlia chattered something in obvious alarm, and with whiplash speed Haxorus had scythed down the thick tree the guttural voice had come from behind, and Druddigon pounced on the eight-foot tall giant that had been hiding behind it.  
>'Hey!' Shouted Sirin, glaring at Druddigon and Haxorus, 'knock it off you two, and Kirlia, what's gotten into you all of a sudden? I thought you would know better than that.' He scolded angrily.<br>Then Kirlia was in his head again, and Sirin saw fragmentary scenes of great battles, and giants among men, scenes of war where the giants and men wearing outlandish armour clashed with humans of long ago and the pokémon of the time.

Much to Sirin's surprise, Druddigon, who'd helped him beat the Elite Four in Unova and had been with Sirin for the better part of a year, ignored him, and kept the giant of a man pinned resolutely.  
>'Druddigon, let him up.' Said Sirin firmly.<br>The dragon-type's barbed head swung in Sirin's direction fear and uncertainty obvious in the orange eyes.  
>Sirin was aware that the man, Rogal was watching him in something approaching astonishment, and that a heavily muscled man with a bird he'd never seen perched on his shoulder and a young woman in a one-piece jumpsuit with a pack over her shoulders and what appeared to be a brace of pistols and a samurai sword on her person had just emerged from the brush as well.<br>All were looking between him and Druddigon in open mouthed amazement, which solidified palpably, as Druddigon, exhibiting deep reluctance let the giant up and backed away, crouching protectively by Sirin, and joined a moment later by Haxorus, with her bronze armour plates gleaming in the moonlight, suspicion evident in her red eyes.

'Now, will someone please explain just what is going on here?' Asked Sirin with exaggerated patience.  
>A silent conversation seemed to pass between the four strangers, then abruptly Rogal, evidently the leader of the group addressed Sirin.<br>'If you want answers, come with us; if not, we part ways here, and forget you ever saw us.'  
>Sirin heard a quiet chuckle at this, but put it down to his imagination.<br>He fished out the poké balls from his belt, and returned all his team but Druddigon.  
>'My camp's back over this way if you'll follow me.' Sirin said briskly, heading back the way he'd come, not bothering to check if the group of strangers followed him.<p>

* * *

><p>Rogal blinked after the youth.<p>

Then, with unerring accuracy, elbowed Mordekai in the ribs for sniggering under his breath.  
>'You're the ace in the hole Mordekai, give yourself away before I say you can, and I'll throttle you in your sleep.' Rigal promised the dissembler.<br>'I didn't think I'd ever meet anyone with the balls to tell an inquisitor what to do asides from a medicae.' Commented Heldane, scratching his chin.  
>'What do you think we should do Brøm?' Asked Rogal; he felt it was best to stay with the boy and be sure he didn't talk, but he'd defer to the local expert on the matter.<br>'We go with him, no telling who he might tell about us otherwise.' The Wolf Scout said, looking thoughtful.

With that, the group headed off briskly after Sirin, and Rogal's brief hope the blackbird,-Murkrow, he corrected,- would fly off in startlement was disproved as it just sat on his shoulder, cawing occasionally.  
>'Did you know these creatures were tameable Greypelt?' Asked Epithet as they walked.<br>Brøm shook his head.  
>'No, I thought there was a tacit alliance, that is the first evidence I've seen that humans can command those creatures to anything, but now I have…' He trailed off, and it didn't take a genius to figure out what he was thinking.<p>

Which solidified as he sighed wistfully and said:  
>'Give me a round dozen of them big bronze and grey things and point me at the Eye of Terror.'<br>'Armageddon first, you could clear the 'skins off en route.' Heldane put in.

'What lives here, stays here when we leave.' Rogal said firmly.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter III

Answers

**Disclaimer: See Chapter One**

Sirin faced the four strangers across the fire, regarding them with some interest.  
>'So, if this 'Imperium' spans the galaxy, how come this planet isn't part of it, and why're you here now?' He asked.<br>'To put it simply, ten thousand years ago when the Imperium was being forged, this world repulsed the Emperor's armies after refusing to join the Imperium peacefully; after also repulsing his efforts to bombard this planet into submission from orbit, he ordered that this entire system be quarantined until a peaceful end to matters could be worked out; The Heresy occurred before that could happen unfortunately, and the Vigilants have honoured that standing order to this day.' Brøm told Sirin gruffly.

'And as to why we're here,' cut in Rogal smoothly before Sirin could ask any more questions, 'I and my operatives have tracked a…criminal organisation here, they have been utilising technology and creatures stolen from this world in violent uprisings across the sector, our aim here is to ambush them, and either decimate their operation here, or track it to it's heart and destroy them there.' He explained, then sobered and became grave. 'And you insist that what you have told us about these Xen- _pokémon,' _Rogal corrected, 'is true?' He asked.

'Every word of it. They're mysterious in a lot of ways, but they're pretty friendly for the most part, and trainers like myself raise and battle them in contests of skill, strategy and strength.' Sirin confirmed.  
>'Bet I can guess on who's part the strength is,' said the woman, who's name Sirin was yet to hear.<br>Rogal sighed in exaggerated patience.  
>'Epithet, you're my apprentice. You're a psyker. Your talents are well suited to what we'll be doing here, and you are here. So stop the sarcastic comments.' He scolded.<br>_Crark_.  
>For the life of him, Rogal couldn't understand why the Murkrow was still insisting on perching on his shoulder.<br>'Just what is this…Murkrow, doing staying on my shoulder?' Asked Rogal, keeping any hint of irritation or distaste from his voice.

'I'd say she likes you,' Sirin replied, 'I've heard that some wild pokémon take a liking to humans, even if that human doesn't wish to capture it, and just follows them; I guess that Murkrow likes something about you.' He explained. 'So, what exactly are you hunting?' Sirin asked.  
>'As I said, a criminal organisation.' Rogal said tersely. 'They're a bit more sinister than that in the galaxy at large, but that's how I believe they will conduct themselves here.'<br>'Great.' Sirin said with a note that didn't invoke enthusiasm. 'Well, that brings three groups to mind: Teams: Rocket, Aqua and Magma all fit that description, so I would say you've got some work ahead of you.'

Having said this, Sirin pulled out the rest of his poké balls and released his team to finish their own interrupted dinners.  
>One and all they watched Rogal and his associates with a wary eye.<br>Except Bagon, who was too busy stuffing his gullet, and too young to care.  
>Sirin noted that for their parts, Rogal and company simply ignored the looks, as if having a silent conversation.<br>_Kirlia._ Sirin thought. _What are they up to?  
><em>He got no reply straight away, then the psychic-type began to 'speak'.  
><em>Discussing how what you have told them changes things, two of them believe it prudent to travel with us, two of them think it wiser to simply find this 'cult' they're hunting, destroy them and have as little contact as possible with the people of this world, and the giant is wondering what would be being served in the way of food in a place called 'The Fang' at the minute.'<em> Kirlia reported.  
>Sirin shot another glance at the small group.<br>The giant was easy enough to pick, but aside from him, there were only three others.  
><em>I think you miscounted.<em> Sirin thought with some amusement.

As if to disprove this point, Kirlia stopped eating, and projected a psychic light at the four, causing them to glance around.  
>Now Sirin could see what Kirlia meant.<br>Leaning against a tree was a fifth man, in a tight fitting bodysuit which appeared to be reflecting light, much like the rest of him had been moments before.  
>There was deathly stillness in the clearing as the fifth man's form blurred and he changed his appearance to a man with short brown hair, only now wearing a t-shirt and pants.<br>Satisfied she'd made her point, Kirlia stopped using foresight.

'How did that thing do that?' Asked the bulky man with the bird with a note that expressed disbelief.  
>Sirin shrugged.<br>'An ability of hers, a learned one, I'd meant to teach Kirlia another one in it's place but I hadn't got around to it yet.' Sirin replied. 'So, who's the Invisible Man?' He asked.  
>Silence reigned for about twenty seconds, then Mr. Invisible and Epithet seemed to subside.<br>'Do you have any qualms about us travelling with you?' Asked Rogal carefully.  
>Sirin thought about it for a moment.<br>'Just how dangerous are these crooks you're after?' He asked.  
>'Fairly.' Replied Rogal evenly.<p>

_Kirlia?_ Asked Sirin quietly.  
>The psychic-type hesitated.<br>_Despite what the Imperium did to this world all those years ago, they mean well, and it isn't just for this world that they're hunting this cult. It's for the galaxy at large._ She said at last.  
><em>Can they be trusted?<em> Sirin asked.  
><em>The journey ahead will change them for the better, but they're honest enough at present.<em> Came the reply after a moment.  
>Sirin nodded.<p>

'I've got no problem with it.' Sirin said after another moment, 'so, I guess some introductions are in order.' He added.  
>Rogal nodded.<br>'I am Inquisitor Rogal Flanagan, Ordo Xenos.' Rogal said.  
>'Heldane Gaul, bounty hunter, and the blood hawk on my shoulder is Corvus.' Said the bulky man, indicating the strange bird.<br>'You may call me Mordekai.' Said the Invisible Man shortly.  
>'Interrogator Epithet Nadia, Rogal's apprentice.' Said the woman in the jumpsuit.<br>'Brøm Greypelt, Wolf Scout of the Space Wolves chapter of the Adeptus Astartes, seconded to the Vigilants.' said the giant.  
>'And who might you be?' Asked Epithet.<p>

Sirin shrugged and smirked.  
>'I am me, but my name is Sirin Matthews.' Sirin replied. 'As for my team, it's a fair bit bigger than this, but the six here are: Braviary,' Sirin indicated the huge eagle-like bird, which preened smugly, 'Haxorus,' he indicated the bronze and grey creature with the axe-like blades on the sides of it's head which was watching them closely, 'Druddigon,' the crimson headed purple dragon, also watching Rogal and his party suspiciously, 'Ponyta,' the fire-maned horse, which raised it's head as it's name was called, 'Kirlia,' the odd, dainty looking creature with the green helmet-like head, which was regarding them with peculiar intensity, 'and last but not least Bagon,' Sirin indicated a small blue and grey creature with a bony head, which was currently curled up fast asleep.<br>'From the looks of some of 'em, I'd say you'd be able to hold your own with them at your side, even if you couldn't hit the broadside of a brick wall yourself.' Observed Heldane with a smirk.

Sirin shrugged.  
>'I've always been more of the intellectual type anyhow.' He confessed.<br>'Indeed,' Rogal said, 'so where might you be headed, and where would you recommend we start our search?' He asked.  
>'I'm headed to Sandgem Town to meet Professor Rowan, and enter the Sinnoh League challenge, I guess you could ask him if he's heard anything,' suggested Sirin, 'he might even be able to help you all out a bit as well, I guess from what you've said that you can look after yourselves, but you might want to consider getting some pokémon of your own.'<p>

Rogal looked visibly startled at the suggestion, as did Heldane, Epithet and Mordekai.  
>Brøm on the other hand looked thoughtful.<br>'Might not be such a bad idea,' he mused, then grinned, flashing inch long canines. 'Certainly be handy in a tight spot, Oberon wouldn't send us help unless the fate of the Imperium rested on it, and it'd be certain to jump-start a war like the last one.'  
>'To the warp with taking this league challenge though, I'm good enough with my fists to be going on with.' Heldane said.<p>

Sirin shrugged again.  
>'Not saying you have to, but it'd help you blend in; most trainers who're travelling with pokémon are taking the league challenge. If they're not, people wonder why.' He said.<br>'It's easy enough to come up with plausible deceptions.' Rogal replied.

Brøm sniffed deeply, then exhaled.  
>'It's not getting any earlier, and I'm hungry.' He said. 'I'll be back in an hour.' He added, standing and departing the clearing.<br>'Where's he off to?' Asked Sirin.  
>'Probably to get something to eat, and what that might be I'd rather not know; Space Marines can eat a lot of stuff that'd kill a normal human.' Rigal replied then yawned widely. 'Heldane, you've got first watch.' He said, before leaning back against a tree.<p>

**You have no idea how tricky it is to make this believable.**

**Thanks for reviewing go to: Hideout Writer and Baka Ecchi Kon**

**Thanks for Favouriting: MoonRune and Baka Ecchi Kon.**

'**til next time:**

**No One-liners.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter IV

Sandgem Town

**Disclaimer: See Chapter One**

Sirin awoke refreshed the next morning, and was immediately informed by Kirlia that Rigal and his band of operatives had been up and exploring since first light, and that not one among them had tried anything during the night.  
><em>What would I do without you?<em> Sirin asked with a small grin.  
><em>Muddle along like most every other trainer does: in a mire of disorganisation.<em> Kirlia replied.  
>Sirin's grin widened.<p>

One of the main reasons he usually kept Kirlia with him was because the psychic-type had a sense of humour.  
>One of the others was that she was obsessively compelled to keep things organised.<br>And as Sirin had found to his benefit, a pokémon with OCD had its advantages.

With a grimace, he pulled out his pokédex and accessed the map program.  
>He'd cut across country from Sunyshore city, and was now paying the price: he'd managed to forge half of the way to Sandgem Town in the first day with only a minimum of fuss with the local trainers, mainly due to the efforts of Druddigon and Haxorus, but the lack of paths between Route 212 and Sandgem Town had drastically slowed his progress.<br>The slog through the bottom of the Coronet mountain range had been draining, and had taken the better part of two days.

Now he was three days into a slightly easier, and definitely more pleasant hike through the forest, heath and meadows between him and Sandgem Town.  
>According to the Town Map, he was less than three hours walk from the town.<br>Throwing some dead wood onto the coals of the campfire, Sirin set about preparing breakfast.  
>When the incredibly basic porridge was steaming, Sirin dug in, but glanced up at the sound of heavy boots clomping from the brush.<br>It was the giant Brøm.

'Morning.' Sirin said.  
>As Kirlia had made mention of the Imperials,-as Sirin had privately decided to designate them,-he'd figured he couldn't have been dreaming the events of the night before.<br>The Space Marine grunted noncommittally.  
>'How'd you do it?' Asked Brøm, taking a bite out of what Sirin identified as a Tamato Berry.<p>

His respect for the giant rose. That particular type of berry was notoriously spicy, and yet he ate it like it was nothing.

'Do what?' Asked Sirin with a frown.  
>'Get those pokémon to obey you and such? How'd you capture them in the first place? I've been trying all morning since first light to catch one, and no matter how bloody cunning a trap I set, the bastards keep giving me the slip; I've a reputation to uphold, and it's being tarnished, so how do you go about catching these things?' Brøm asked.<br>Sirin couldn't help but guffaw.  
>'You tried to catch a pokémon with a net did you?' He asked.<br>'Among other things.' Brøm replied darkly.

'It's easy, all you've got to do is weaken 'em in a battle, then chuck a poké ball at 'em.' Sirin replied, fishing an empty one from his pack. 'Mind you, they'll break free a good portion of the time if some factors are against you or they're real strong.' He added.  
>Brøm accepted the small spherical device, then gave a shout of surprise as he hit the activator, causing it to double in size.<br>'It's gonna blow!' Brøm shouted, hurling the expanded poké ball across the clearing into the forest.

Sirin couldn't help but laugh.  
>'I guess you must be more used to grenades or something.' He said with amusement. 'That activator primes it to expand to a useable size, and activates the biomass converter. Oh yeah, and you can't catch a pokémon someone else has already caught; it's thievery if you do.' Sirin added.<br>'I don't think an Ad-Mech would've been able to figure out half of what you just said.' Brøm replied with a shake of his shaggy head.  
>Then, incongruously, the poké ball came shooting back out of the woods, and bounced off Brøm's head with a dull <em>thud<em>.  
>'Watch where you're throwing shit Marine! You nearly took my head off!' Shouted Epithet angrily.<p>

* * *

><p>The rest of Rogal's retinue filtered back into the clearing shortly after, and it appeared Brøm was the only one that had been attempting to catch any pokémon.<br>By that time, Sirin was packed and ready to be off.  
>'We're about three hours away from Sandgem Town.' He told the Imperials. 'When we get there, come with me to see Professor Rowan, then we'll see about getting you some less conspicuous clothing; After that, I guess I'll be going to take the league challenge, and you'll be off chasing those crooks of yours.'<p>

'Actually, it might just be easier if we travel with you; you move around enough to hear fresh news, or get there practically as it happens. Systematically going from place to place seems a more likely method of inquisition to me than charging from place to place looking for answers.' Rogal said briefly.  
>Sirin shrugged. 'Fine by me, but don't be surprised if it takes me a while to get anywhere; I'll most likely have to start practically from scratch.' He said. 'And I'll warn you now, you might find some of the gym leaders and other trainers I'll most likely have to face to be rather…inane and conceited.'<p>

'So, dinner with the planetary governor, only we may feel free to tell them to go jump in a plasma reactor if they get too annoying.' Heldane summarised.  
>'Please don't.' Sirin said resignedly.<br>'He didn't mean it literally, he only meant that we don't have to kiss up to them and massage their egos.' Rigal clarified. 'Besides, if it got to that stage, I'd have shot them five minutes before hand.'  
>Sirin believed him when he said it.<p>

* * *

><p>The walk was fairly uneventful, but during it, Rogal couldn't help but be astounded by the abundance of pokémon that inhabited the forest, and unlike most of the fauna he'd encountered on other worlds, they didn't appear to care one jot whether Rogal, Sirin, Brøm or any of the others saw them or not.<br>They appeared to have some sort of language, consisting of half-intelligible repetitions of what sounded suspiciously like words or something, but Rogal couldn't make it out.  
>As skilled as he was with cogitators and logic engines, and as used as he was with translating obscure and difficult languages and data, the pokémon cries were something he couldn't make out at all.<p>

Above all, he could almost forget the terrible wars raging across the galaxy in the firmament above.  
>He granted himself the luxury of five minutes to enjoy the feeling of peace.<br>It was nice not to have to worry about some fang-faced genestealer, about to try and gut him, or a sadistic dark kin.  
>He felt he could almost <em>live <em>here, just throw away his rosette, throw away his gun, his armour, his reputation and his career and just settle down and live a peaceful life here.  
>Then his mind wandered down another, darker path.<p>

* * *

><p>The Bedlam Union had spread their insidious operation here.<br>One of the most wretched Chaos cults Rogal had ever come across, he'd decided when he first encountered them that they were hardly worth the effort to eradicate, so he'd instead taken to tormenting them:

Crippling any feasible scheme they launched, killing off one key member or another that began to show the slightest bit of initiative or guile, sabotaging weapon caches in such a manner as to tip off local arbites, even on one memorable occasion, making a group of them unwittingly travel through a Regia Occulta, never to be seen again.

And then, three years ago, all that changed.  
>Suddenly, the cult that had become a running joke among the Ordos Eridani for their incompetence, became something worth attention:<p>

A massacre on Nova Costa, three thousand dead, another five hundred wounded in a small city just on the equator, the four perpetrators armed only with auto-rifles, but each of them commanding three-or-so hitherto unknown xenoforms.  
>The matter had been swiftly crushed by a rapid-response task-force of the PDF's elite.<p>

Rogal had paid the matter no mind until six months later when there was an almost identical incident on the other side of the sector, and he heard in passing it was the work of the Bedlam Union from a colleague.  
>After that he'd gone begun investigating.<p>

The two attacks had indeed been the work of the Union, an easy fifteen minutes' hacking had revealed to Rogal, and that another had been planned for three hours later on the same planet he was on.

It had been a simple matter to arrange a counter-ambush, but the execution had turned into a bloodbath when the ten men involved in the attack had released six more creatures each,- a grand total of sixty xenos killing machines.  
>They hadn't been tyranids, but each and every one of them had cost the elite arbites and PDF dearly, as well as Rogal.<p>

He'd lost three good friends of his that had been on his retinue to the one beast, crushed by some sort of snake made out of some incredibly tough metal-alloy.

Ultimately though, he managed to nail one of the bastards behind the plot, and it had been a simple matter of using level three interrogation to scare him bad enough to spill everything.  
>About the group Rogal had tricked into going through the Regia Occulta ending up on this strange world populated by extremely powerful xenos that could cause destruction on a grand scale, the rogue trader they'd hired to help them capture some of the beasts to use against the sector and destabilise the Imperium,-even the coordinates of the system and how they'd been getting in.<br>The last had puzzled Rogal until he'd encountered the first Guardian space bastion, and Captain Typhon had filled him in.

* * *

><p>No, settling down wasn't the right idea, no matter how tempting it might seem.<br>'We're nearly there, the lab is that big building on the north-west edge of town, right?' Brøm asked.  
>'Yeah, why?' Sirin replied.<br>'I stick out too much, I'll meet you there.' The Wolf Scout replied, and headed northward, doubtless to take a circuitous route to avoid being noticed.

Rogal surveyed the town dispassionately.  
>From what he could see of the buildings,-the ones that sported some form of sign in particular,- he deduced that like most human worlds, the local script was Low Gothic, though of a less ornate variety than Rogal was used to.<p>

Sirin was pointing out particular buildings around the town until Heldane interrupted him.  
>'We can read kid, the script on those signs is low gothic, just slightly less flowery than what we usually come across.' The bounty hunter said.<br>Sirin shrugged.  
>'Just trying to be of use Heldane,' he said, leaving Heldane rather bemused by Sirin's ease with first-name terms.<p>

It came as something of a surprise to Rogal that Sirin's first stop wasn't the lab as he'd expected, but a large red roofed building closer to the edge of town, which turned out to be a pokémon centre, which Rogal surmised was a part-hospital, part-hotel set up.  
>Then it was off to a general goods store to stock up on supplies Sirin had run short on over the trip, and then they were finally off to the lab, only with a decent meal under their belts.<p>

And contraire to what Rogal had been expecting, he hadn't got nearly as many odd looks as he thought he would've.  
>He mentioned this to Sirin.<br>'Trainers can be all sorts of people, and some of 'em have got some really strange dress sense.' The young man said with a shrug.

They stopped at the lab's door, and Sirin keyed a vox-unit.  
>'Professor Rowan?' Sirin asked, and a vid-screen Rogal hadn't noticed came to life.<br>'Whom might you be, and who're they with you?' Asked the man on the screen.  
>He had greying hair and a moustache, and appeared to be in his early fifties.<br>'I'm Sirin Matthews professor, the trainer from the Unova region.' Sirin replied.  
>'Ah, yes, I got your e-mail, thank you for being polite enough to send word ahead, but who're your friends?' Rowan asked.<br>'I think it might be best if we discussed that somewhere a little less conspicuous, sir and it will most likely be a lengthy answer.' Rogal replied smoothly.  
>'Well, all right, come on in then,' then he gave a startled oath as Brøm came out from behind the stand of bushes he'd been lying prone in.<p>

'What took you so long?' Growled the Wolf Scout in annoyance.  
>'Good heavens, <em>you!'<em> Rowan said as he saw Brøm.  
>Brøm glanced at the vid-screen.<br>'Skítja.' He swore as he saw Rowan.  
>'You know each other?' Asked Rogal with some surprise.<br>'Come in, come in, this is definitely not a matter to be bandied about.' Rowan said.  
>Without further conversation, Sirin opened the door and they all filed through.<p>

**Yeah, this is a hard one to make believeable.**

**Two universes, at the same end of the awesome spectrum for completely different reasons,-some of which are complete opposites.**

**I am writing a Warhammer 40k\Spyro crossover.**

**Contraire to what you might believe, that is pretty easy.**

**I think I might've been a bit too hard on the guy who did that 40k\pokemon crossover that is complete.**

**Writing this sort of crossover, and keeping both sides in character is VERY, VERY hard.**

**I'm probably going to have to tread on a lot of toes by invoking poetic licence to smooth some bits where 40k would demand exterminatus.**

**In any event, I'd like to thank the following people:**

**For reviewing: Hideout Writer, Baka Ecchi Kon and Knightwolf1875.**

**For Favouriting: Sgt. Nolisten and Knightwolf1875.**

'**til next time:**

**No One-liners!**

**And Merry Christmas!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter V

**Disclaimer: See Chapter One.**

'Sirin, I'll stamp your trainer card after I'm done with these people, unless I am sadly mistaken, this is going to be of extreme gravity.' Professor Rowan said to Sirin as he and the Inquisition war-band entered the laboratory.  
>As Brøm entered last of all, Rowan jabbed one finger at the Astartes.<br>'You, sir, have caused me a good deal of annoyance these past three years.' Rowan said accusingly.  
>'Not my problem Doc.' Replied Brøm<br>'Because you slipped out during the night, I've had to put up with Professor Rose going on, and on about what an opportunity I missed to help her with her research,- do you have _any idea_ how _grating_ that woman is?' Demanded Rowan.  
>'No,' Brøm replied, 'but I can tell you like her.' He replied, grinning broadly, and revealing his alarming canines.<p>

'Again, you two _know_ each other?' Asked Sirin incredulously.  
>Brøm grunted. 'If knocking someone out of the way of a third-story window to jump through said window and make an escape is 'knowing' someone, then yes, I do know the good Doctor.' Replied Brøm sarcastically.<p>

Brøm's reply had struck Rowan dumb. After mouthing stupidly for a moment or two, he regained the use of his tongue.  
>'Um…well… I take it that you're not from <em>here<em> then, are you?' He asked.  
>'No, we're not. We're here in pursuit of a heretic cell calling themselves the Bedlam Union, though I've reason to doubt that is what they're calling themselves here, you haven't heard of any extra-shady characters around have you?' Asked Rogal.<br>'I can't say that I have… I'll ask with an associate of mine with the international police, but I doubt he'll have anything of use, but tell me, if you really are from that fabled 'stellar empire', is there going to be another war fought here soon?' Rowan asked, pulling several glasses from a drawer in his desk, then pouring brandy for six, then cast an apologetic glance at Sirin. 'Sorry my boy, but I think you're a bit young to be drinking yet,' he said.

Sirin shrugged.  
>'I've tasted that stuff once, and I swear I'll never touch alcohol again after that.' He replied with some distaste.<br>Brøm grunted.  
>'I'll pass, a good vintage like that'd be wasted on me.' He said.<p>

'Well, I hope not,' Rogal said, accepting one of the glasses from Rowan. 'It really depends on whether me and my associates can bring down the Bedlam Union in short order, from what I've gathered so far they're capturing these…pokémon, and using them to perpetrate massacres across the sector.'  
>'That is a new level of low.' Rowan said, putting down his glass. 'I'm afraid I haven't heard of any criminal organisations that claim to be capable of space travel, however.'<br>'Have you heard of any groups that have surfaced in the past three years?' Asked Rogal.  
>'None I'm afraid.' Rowan replied.<p>

Rogal swirled his brandy in it's glass, thinking.  
>'This Professor Rose…How into her research is she?' He asked, an idea kindling in the back of his mind.<br>'She's borderline obsessed.' Rowan replied. 'She was here about a month ago, saying she'd found a lead in her research and she'd be investigating the Solaceon Ruins looking for what she dubbed 'the discovery of the millennium.''

This aroused Rogal's interest, but he didn't say anything.  
>'Well, we might just have to have a word with her; the promise of technology from before the Horus Heresy would be enough of a temptation for the Bedlam Union to try their luck.' He said.<p>

* * *

><p>After this, there was little enough for them to discuss, so Sirin got his trainer card stamped and received a starter pokémon from Rowan,-a blue flightless bird-like creature Sirin called a 'Piplup',- and then they left, Brøm vanishing into the trees once again to meet them outside the city.<p>

* * *

><p>'Solaceon Town is pretty close to the middle of the Sinnoh region, so it'll take us a while to get there, but it's unlikely that your crooks know about the Professor's research, so…' Sirin trailed off. 'Do you mind if I do a few gym challenges before we go chasing bad guys?' He asked.<p>

Rogal thought about this for all of ten seconds.  
>'Yes, I think we might just do that; you need to learn how to fight before I even consider taking you along hunting heretics.' He replied.<p>

No sooner had he said this than they all toppled down a deep pit dug in the middle of the path.  
>'What in Terra's-' Roared Heldane furiously, Corvus shrieking his own indignation.<br>He was cut off by a trio of haughty, laughs, one a coarse cackle, one an annoyingly hearty chuckle and the third a high pitched giggle.

**No prizes for guessing who's laughing. Why not?**

**If it doesn't work I can Retcon them out.**

**And before anyone asks, no Ash and Co. aren't featuring. At least, I don't plan on them featuring.**

**I just like the idea of an Inquisitor making these three crawl.**

**So, for reviewing, I'd like to thank: Knightwolf1875, Hideout Writer and Chronischen.**

**For the Favourite Author Adds, I'd like to thank: LupisDeuxEx, Randon Trbetr, sonofposidon1.**

**And I'm pretty sure that's it for this time.**

'**til next time:**

**No One-liners.**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter VI

Team Rocket

**Disclaimer: See Chapter One.**

'Prepare for trouble, your future looks grim.' Said a woman's voice.  
>'Make it double, look at the trouble you're in.' Said a man's, so close on to the woman's it must've been rehearsed many times before.<br>'Cut the grox-crap and get us out of this pit, or I'll have Brøm tear you a new asshole!' Called Rogal.  
>'You ain't in no position to make demands, bub!' Called a coarse voice, followed almost immediately by three very girly squeals of fright as the voices' owners landed in the hole, having been booted in one after the other by Brøm's uncompromising left foot.<p>

'Um…we're sorry?' Said a woman with the most ridiculous hairstyle Rogal had ever seen.

Immediately after the woman spoke, she and the blue-haired man,-Rogal immediately bumped the woman's hair down to second-most ridiculous of all time,-and a cat-like pokémon, found themselves staring down the barrels of four different guns.

'Brøm?' Rogal asked, looking up at the grey-maned Wolf Scout.

In response to the unspoken request, a rope was lowered into the pit, and the group climbed out, Heldane kicking off the blue haired man when he tried to scramble up after them.

When they were all out, the rope was hauled up, after Epithet knocked the woman back down the hole from where she was hanging off the end of the rope.

'Please, let us out of here!' Called the blue haired man from the bottom of the pit.

'I dunno boss, they _did_ dig it, and we _did_ fall into it, and they were obviously planning on extorting something out of us…' Heldane said, petting an affronted Corvus to soothe him. 'I say we leave them there.'

'Please! We'll do anything! Just don't leave us down here!' Shouted the cat desperately.

'Well…' Rogal said, scratching his chin thoughtfully. 'We happen to be in the market for some…information…' He said.

'You want the locations of Team Rocket bases: we can give 'em, you want the Boss, you can have him, we'll do anything!' Called the cat desperately.

'Looks like we may be able to make an agreement, but first, have any of you heard of a group called the Bedlam Union? They probably surfaced in the last three years, they'd probably have a very non-standard MO, and they'd probably be very…_strange_…shall we say,' Rogal asked.

'I don't know about any Bedlam Union, but you're probably looking for Team Chaos.' Called the blue haired man.

Rogal turned to face his colleagues.

'Those…' Rogal tailed off in disbelief.

The Union was infamous for its ineptitude, but this sort of sheer, incautious _arrogance_…

'Brøm, get them out of there.' He ordered.

The Wolf Scout cast his rope back down the hole, and momentarily the three had climbed out.

'Now,' Rogal said, 'let's do this properly: I am Inquisitor Rogal Flannagan. The people with me are my associates, and as they have their own wits, can introduce themselves once I am finished. Now, who are you three?' He asked.  
>'We're Team Rocket.' Said the red-haired woman.<p>

Rogal looked at Sirin.  
>'<em>These<em> idiots are one of the three infamous criminal gangs you told us about?' He asked, with disdaining amusement.  
>'Well, they've got the jackets…but I think they might just be low-level operatives; either way, they've got info you want.' Sirin replied dismissively.<p>

'Indeed.' Rogal said. 'What do you know about this…Team Chaos? Do they have an emblem? What are they up to?' He asked.  
>'No one really knows much; they don't take recruits, they don't really have a mission statement and they seem to only really be interested in capturing as many pokémon as they can,-particularly powerful ones and they're not fussy on how they get them, as to an emblem I think I heard they use an eight pointed star kind of like-'<br>'-I already know what their emblem will be if it's an eight pointed star.' Rogal cut in. 'Do you know if they have any strongholds?' He asked.  
>'Not that I know of…' The blue haired man said.<br>'Eh, James, what about dat guy wit' da funny accent we overheard talkin' in Eternia City?' Asked the cat pokémon, 'he said somethin' 'bout a cave on da north side of Mount Coronet, didn't he?'  
>'What's this?' Rogal asked with veiled interest.<br>'We were in Eternia city a couple of weeks ago looking into a building built by a group called 'Team Galactic', who've cropped up recently,-not related to Team Chaos as far as we can tell,- and we were staking out near an old monument in the town and we overheard this guy in a trench coat say something about 'taking a shipment to the Coronet base, south of the icy city.' The blue haired man, James, said meekly. 'The 'icy city' has to be Snowpoint City, it's the only mainland settlement north of Mount Coronet.' He explained.  
>'And that is a lead which probably just saved you from a very messy end.' Rogal stated. 'Sirin, do you have some form of comms device on you?'<p>

'I've got my X-transciever, why?' Sirin asked in reply.  
>'If any of you three have something similar, I want your contact details. This probably won't be the last time I'll find use for people with your…expertise.' The last word was spoken with a trace of mocking to it.<p>

The trio,-wisely,-didn't comment, meekly giving Sirin their contact details, before pulling a disappearing act so fast, he briefly wondered if they'd teleported.

A quick sniff dispelled the notion. No ozone.

'You're just letting them go?' Sirin asked incredulously. 'They've probably got a rap sheet as long as my arm.'  
>'They know people and they're now scared unconditionally shitless of Brøm; They're more useful to me on the loose than in a prison cell where they can't pass on relevant information.' Rogal replied.<p>

* * *

><p>They pressed onward encountering no one for a few more hours until at sunset a gunshot rang out.<p>

Heldane yanked Sirin with him as he dove into the grass.

'Corvus, tell me where they are.' The bounty hunter whispered. Normally, he'd have received a chirrup in response, but in this instance he heard nothing. 'Corvus?' Heldane asked in concern, looking around as much as he could without giving himself away.

Sirin mutely tapped Heldane's shoulder and pointed back behind them to where the rusty red hawk lay dead.

The shot,-obviously meant for Heldane,-had veered to the side and taken him in the chest.

Heldane gritted his teeth in frustrated, shoked rage. He'd hand-raised Corvus from an egg and the bird had saved his life on occasion.

To see his one constant companion dead and being unable to strike back at the unseen sniper who'd killed him…

From off to the left, the Murkrow that had decided to follow Rogal swooped down and began attacking a patch of scrub and soon a duo of individuals in black and red uniforms with a baroque eight-pointed star emblazoned on the front of them, one of whom was swatting at the Murkrow with a Nomad Rifle.

Heldane felt hot tears of rage and howled bloody murder, before running full tilt at the man with the rifle while he was occupied.  
>He connected with the sniper fist first with enough kinetic force and grief-fuelled fury to break his nose and floor him. Heldane followed through with a savage kick to the groin, followed by another.<p>

Meanwhile everyone else was still regaining their feet.

Sirin pulled one of his pokéballs and sent out it's inhabitant: Haxorus.  
>Silently thankful for the stroke of luck, Sirin ordered his thoughts.<br>'Haxorus, use take down on that woman and keep her pinned.' Sirin ordered. Haxorus didn't even hesitate, just crossed the distance between them in three deceptively quick strides, tripped the woman with her tail, then pinned her beneath her clawed foot.

The woman drew a well-kept looking pistol and emptied the clip into Haxorus' belly, but if the bullet impacts did anything besides irritate her, she didn't let it show, simply increasing the weight she put on that foot.

There was another agonised cry from Heldane, before he picked up the sniper in a one handed strangle-hold around his throat and slammed him against the tree he'd been sheltering behind and drove a final heavy punch into his gut, before seizing the dropped hunting rifle, chambering a round and shooting him through the head.  
>He then reversed his grip on the gun and slammed the butt into the woman's head, then repeating the move when she tried to bring her pistol around.<p>

Several deep, loud _bangs!_ from the woods rang out, and Brøm exited the trees.  
>'Looks like a hunting party or something. That's the last of them. And we even have one left alive to question.' He growled in satisfaction, nudging the woman with his foot.<p>

Rogal nodded, looking to Heldane with slight concern, noting Sirin doing the same.  
>The normally gruff, serious bounty hunter had retreated to where his beloved blood hawk had fallen, cradling the broken body in a surprisingly tender way, looking positively wretched.<p>

'Grab whatever weapons and supplies we can use, if their catch is chaos-marked-' Rogal broke off, cleared his throat and gave Brøm a significant look. 'If not, set them free. If they're using standard capture devices, take them as well, if they're marked, destroy them.' He ordered.  
>Brøm nodded, walking back into the trees.<p>

'Epithet, bind this one, you'll have to carry her until we find somewhere to make camp.' He continued.  
>The young woman nodded without comment. Normally, this would have been Heldane's job, but for now, he was just as likely to kill their captive with his bare hands.<p>

'Mordekai, find us somewhere out-of-the-way to camp.'  
>The dissembler turned invisible and set off silently, with his own pistol in hand.<p>

Rogal turned to Sirin.

'Not bad for your first time under fire.' He said.

Haxorus huffed at this.

'You and your tamed saurid. Not often I see a beast master command that sort of obedience from their charges.' Rogal amended without a note of apology.  
>'Pokémon are intelligent. You've just got to treat them with care and respect and they'll follow you no matter what.' Sirin replied. 'They shot at us. With real bullets.' He added, sounding shaken.<br>'That has a tendency to happen to us.' Rogal said. 'You don't really get used to it so to speak, but you get used to the adrenaline.' He explained.  
>'And Heldane just-'<br>'-It was self-defence. They shot at us first and they were shooting to kill.' Rogal replied as the Murkrow came and settled on his shoulder, looking at him expectantly. 'Erm…?'

Sirin mimed, reaching up to give the Murkrow a pat.

Rogal mimicked the motion.  
>'Well done.' He said, uncertainly.<br>'_Kur-row._' The Murkrow replied.

Mordekai reappeared and beckoned them into the brush.

Sirin recalled Haxorus and followed.

**Okay, so I don't have an excuse for why you haven't heard from me.**

**My best guess would be that with no school and only a part time job, I've really got no need to blow off steam and that my Original is still keeping me preoccupied. Ironically, getting into a university course might actually speed up my update rate.**

**Anyone who's followed me for a while will have noticed that I'm not particularly good at managing minor characters. So far as I can reason, part of my problem here is that I've got too many characters and not enough story framework, or something along those lines. I'm also not terribly good at killing characters off. Corvus wasn't a character **_**per se**_**, but that whole sequence just hit me literally as I was rereading this chapter after reading Full-Paragon's ME\pokemon humour fic ,'Pokemon: Normandy,' so shoutout to him for the inspiration!**

**Also, I can flesh out Heldane more now as he grieves for Corvus, so some plot development and a sub-plot.**

****Does anyone feel as if I'm skimping on detail a bit with this story? I feel as if I missed a lot of detail there that I could've added, but that might just me being tired.****

**Okay, that's enough rambling, so for reviewing, I'd like to thank: Knightwolf1875, Hideout Writer, Chonischen, Yoshtar, AWESOME, Guest and mr I hate znt nobles kill em.**

**Sorry for the long wait time. Don't know when I'll update something else next, so just keep an eye on your inboxes if you follow everything I write.**

'**Til then:**

**No One-liners! (Been too long since I signed off like that…)**

**CRAP, I nearly forgot: Kudos to artark for the awesome coverart this story now sports, you did an awesome job!**


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